Method of surgically repairing damaged ear drums

ABSTRACT

A method of fabrication and application of a small metallic clip which is utilized to attach tympanoplastic material securely into position during ear surgery is described.

United States Patent Williams 1451 July 23, 1974 METHOD OF SURGICALLY REPAIRING 1,045,917 12/1912 Valiquet 3/1 ux DAMAGED EAR DRUMS 3,273,562 9/1966 Brown.. 128/337 3,446,212 5/1969 Leroy... 128/325 [76] Inventor: John David Willlams, 372W Star 3 71 ,053 2 1973 Tanner [28/337 Route A, Anchorage, Ala. 99507 El d: M 19 73 [22] 1c M 19 Primary Examiner-Aldrich F. Medbery [21] Appl. No.: 325,245

[52] US. Cl 128/334 R, 3/1, 128/325, 0

2 /337 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl A61b 17/04 v [58] Field of Search 128/334 R, 335, 325, 337; A method of fabrication and application of a small 3/1 metallic clip which is utilized to attach tympanoplastic I material securely into position during ear surgery is [56] vReferences Cited described. 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS '1 816,026 3/1906 Meier 128/337 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures FIGURE v2 LEGEND RICHARDS MFG. CO.)

MICROCLIP 34 STAINLESS STEEL WIRE) TYMPANIC FIBROUS ANULUS TYMPANOPLASTIC GRAFTE McGEE STAPES WIRE CLOSURE FORCEPS PATENIEDJULZBIBH 7 3.825.009

FIGURE l FIGURE 2 LEGEND MICROCLIP 34 STAINLESS STEEL WIRE) TYMPANIC FIBROUS ANULUS TYMPANOPLASTIC GRAFT McGEE STAPES WIRE CLOSURE FORCEPS (RICHARDS MFG. CO.)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention to be described relates primarily to a method by which tympanoplastic grafting material can be securely fashioned within the ear surgery. For many years, the most popular method of grafting ear drums has been to place the grafting material on the lateral surface of the ear drum and pack it tightly into position. Because of difficulty with lateral grafting and, in general, better results obtained with medial grafting, the latter method has gained great popularity in the last 5 years, The one deficiency with medial grafting has been a lack of methods available to secure the position of a graft at surgery. Methods in the past have primarily utilized the support of the graft interiorly with pledgettes of reconstituted protein called Glefoam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The small clips A utilized in the inventive concept are fashioned from No. 34 stainless steel wire which was wrapped about an 18 gauge suction needle, the resultant spring was cut longitudinally. The resultant clips, better described as Microclips, see A, FIG. 1, were then flattened out and trimmed to a two-thirds full circle. The clip was then loaded in a Stapes prosthesis crimper D as in FIG. 2. As further denoted in FIG. 2, the pars tensa and/or annular remnant, illustrated as B in FIG. 2, is suitably exposed. The tympanoplastic graft C is then positioned through a posterior tympanotomy incision so that it is medial to the annulus and malleus. A conventional 20 gauge sucker or vacuum means is then used to bring the leading edge of the graft to the edge of the perforation or annular remnant area of the tympanic fibrous annulus B. The clip A is then applied around the annulus and graft in locations corresponding to the 1, 3 and 6 oclock positions.

I claim:

l. The method of repairing damaged ear drums by tympanoplastic grafting comprising the steps of, exposing the area of the pars tensa and annular remnant by a posterior tympanotomy incision, positioning the graft on the tympanic fiburous annulus so that it is medial to the annulus and malleus tissue, attaching said graft to said annulus by inserting through the tissues of the junction of the graft and the annulus, at least three metal surgical micro-clips of substantially C-shape and of a diameter of approximately 1.5 mm. at positions near the l, 3 and 6 oclock locations, mechanically closing said clips to join and hold the enclosed tissues,

and permitting the junction to heal to an attachment. 

1. The method of repairing damaged ear drums by tympanoplastic grafting comprising the steps of, exposing the area of the pars tensa and annular remnant by a posterior tympanotomy incision, positioning the graft on the tympanic fiburous annulus so that it is medial to the annulus and malleus tissue, attaching said graft to said annulus by inserting through the tissues of the junction of the graft and the annulus, at least three metal surgical micro-clips of substantially C-shape and of a diameter of approximately 1.5 m.m. at positions near the 1, 3 and 6 o''clock locations, mechanically closing said clips to join and hold the enclosed tissues, and permitting the junction to heal to an attachment. 